(a) The legislature by law may provide for the release of all or part of the state's interest in land, excluding mineral rights, if:
- (1) the land is surveyed, unsold, permanent school fund land according to the records of the General Land Office;
- (2) the land is not patentable under the law in effect before January 1, 2002; and
(3) the person claiming title to the land:
- (A) holds the land under color of title;
- (B) holds the land under a chain of title that originated on or before January 1, 1952;
- (C) acquired the land without actual knowledge that title to the land was vested in the State of Texas;
- (D) has a deed to the land recorded in the appropriate county; and
- (E) has paid all taxes assessed on the land and any interest and penalties associated with any period of tax delinquency.
(b) This section does not apply to:
- (1) beach land, submerged or filled land, or islands; or
- (2) land that has been determined to be state-owned by judicial decree.
(c) This section may not be used to:
- (1) resolve boundary disputes; or
- (2) change the mineral reservation in an existing patent.
(Added Nov. 6, 2001; Subsec. (d) expired Jan. 2, 2002.)